Temperature-preserving article container



July 24, 1951 P. N. FENsKE TEMPERATURE-PRESERVING ARTICLE CONTAINER Filed Feb. 6, 1948 F/G. i.

IN VEN TOR.

F E NSK E,

PAUL

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 24, 1951 UNITED STATE TEMPERATURE-PRESERVING ARTICLE CONTAINER U f -1 Paul N. renske, Morton, Minn. Application February 6, 1948, Serial No.'6,772

4 claims. (Cl. 22e- 14) My invention relates to temperature-preserv ing article containers, and more particularly to such containers as are portable and are adapted for the manual transportation of hot or cold food" articles, the initial temperature of which it is Y desired to maintain during transportation. While it is obviously impossible to maintain the precise temperature during transportation, thedevice according to the invention is intended to at least retard the tendency of the article carried to assume air temperature.

With the foregoing in View, an object of my invention is to provide an improved temperaturepreserving article container.

A further object is to provide an improved temperature-preserving article container which includes means spacing the article carried from all surrounding walls of the container, whereby to provide a deadair space substantially entirely around the article.

A further object is to provide a container such as that last described which includes collapsible spacing means to permit the stacking of a plurality of containers during shipment or storage.

A further object comprises a temperature-preserving article container which comprises a container made of paper or like inexpensive material which can be readily manufactured at low cost, but which is long lasting in use and capable of repeated use.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of the invention, combination and arrangement of the several parts, and will be readily understood by those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawing in connection with the following specification, wherein the invention'is shown, described and claimed.

Y In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the container according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof, parts being broken away and shown in transverse vertical section;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken substantially on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 2; I

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale and showing a detail of construction.

The container according to the invention `may assume many forms and shapes, but in general will conform substantially to the shape of the article to be carried, particularly-if the article intended to be carried is a symmetrical package. Consequently, it is to be understood that the embodiment illustrated is merely one of many forms Vwhich the container according to the invention may assume.

Referring specically to the drawing, wherein like reference characters have been used throughout the several views to designate like parts, I0 designates a container which is roughly of blunt wedge shape, and which is adapted to carry the conventional package of ice cream. Thus, the container according to the invention comprises side walls II, II and angularly-disposed side or end walls I2, I2. The container also includes a bottom wall I3 and a conventional top closure I4 which comprises a plurality of flaps and tabs adapted to interlock in any suitable manner to provide a locked closure which may be readily unlocked for the insertion and/or removal of the article to be carried.

Inwardly of the container I0, at least a pair of opposed side walls, in this case the opposed side walls II, I I, have mounted -thereon suitable spacer members generally indicated by the reference character I6. Each of the spacer members I6 comprises a strip of paper or like readily bendable material which is formed to provide a member which is substantially ilying V-shaped in cross-section. Thus, each strip I6 comprises wings I1 and I8 which merge into converging legs I9 to provide an apex or knife edge 20. Portions of the edge 20 are cut away to provide notches 2|, whereby cach strip comprises a plurality `of longitudinally-spaced knife-edge portions 20 and interposed notches 2l. The outer wings I8 are secured to the supporting side wall in any suitable manner, as by gluing or stapling, but the inner wings I'I are free, whereby the strips are foldable to lie iiat along the supporting side wall.

To maintain the 'support members I6 in an erect article-supporting position, I have provided a check means 22 which comprises a strip of paper or like readily foldable material 22 which includes a central portion 23 which is glued, stapled, orV otherwise suitably secured to a supporting side wall for the strips. The central por-` tion 23 terminates laterally in a pair of opposed fold lines 24 andfree edge aps 25. The flaps 25 may be provided attheir upper edges with tabs 26 forA manipulation by the lingers of the user. As is indicated in broken lines, Figure 4, when the containers are stacked for storage or shipment,`

the free wing VI'I of each strip I6 overlaps the check means 22, whereby each strip I6 lies substantially llat along the supporting wall and. provides means for permitting the stacking of a large number of containers in a relatively small space. However,` when it is desired to use the container to support an article, such as i5, each strip I6 is folded to its flying V-shape and the free wing I1 is inserted beneath the free flap 25 whichis adjacent thereto of the check means 22. Theengagementof the free edge of the free 'wing with the edge `of the intermediate portion 23 which is secured to the supporting container wall,

conduction through the supports and the conl=Y tainer Walls.

The bottom Wan la of the container lo' is' pgovided with an article-support 3D which likewise comprises a strip of foldable materialy-suchfas r heavy paper, and which likewise `is f `iiying .v .a l

shape in cross-section. The support 30 comprises Wings 3| and converging legs comprising :an-.apexVv or knife-edge 32, a portieri or portions of which may be cut away to provide a notch or notches 33, Figure 3. The notch 33 vnot only minimizes the supporting engagement with the article l5, but as is the case withv the notches 21 provides means permitting free-circulation of air entirely around the article I5. One of the wings 3-I Vmay be secured to the bottom wall I3 and the other wingmay be free, or, as shown, both :wingszSJ may be secured to the bottom wall. In Vthe-event that afree wing Til isprovided, itis to beunderstood that check means substantially Asimilarto one-.half of the check means .23 willbe provided to support the support 30 in ,an erect. articlesupporting position. However, I have found that a xed support 3o does Anot reduce the `Stacking space materially andi prefer thatboth wingsbe anchored in any suitable vmanner to the bottom Wall I3. s

While not shown in the drawing, it is to he understood that a suitable carrying `handle or bail may be provided to facilitate the :carrying of the container lo vfrom place toplace. likewise, while I have showna container adapted to carry but a single article I5, it is to be understoodlthat a container `comprising 'a plurality of compartments and/or a larger ,number of supports l5 and 30 may be provided wherebya plurality of articlesl may becarried in a single` container.

Therefore, whilegI haveshown and described whatis now considered to` be a preferred emboidi- A ment of the invention,it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and eX- pressions. Consequently, I do .not-:limit *,myself. to the precise structure shown and described hereinabove, except as hereinaftenclaimed. l .s

I .claimt i 1. Means for packing articles topreserve initial temperature conditions, comprising aA container including bottom and sidewalls and-a top closure, spacer members carried rby said side and bottom Ywalls, said members each comprising a` flyingv V-shaped strip including Wings and A.converging legs providing an apex, said apex `being inwardly directed relative to saidcontainer, means mounting said wings on a container wall, ,andsaid apices each being forced with longitudinallyspaced notches and longitudinally-spaced,knife-l edge supports for supporting an article in ,space relation to said side and bottom walls andtdsaid closure. 2. Means for packaging articles to preserve initial temperature conditions, comprisingla `container including bottomand side-wallsand a top closure, spacer members carriedl by rsaid side and bottom walls, said lmembers each .comprisingfa flying V-shaped stripincluding wings andconverging legs providing an apex, `saidapex Ibeiiigk inwardly directed relative `to said" co,ntainr,- means mounting saidV wings Yon a container wall",

said apices comprising knife-edge supports for supporting an article in spaced relation to said side and bottom walls and to said closure, said strips being vformed of foldable material, means fixing one wing -of each strip to afcontai'ner Wall, the other wing of each stripbeing free, said strips being adapted to be attened along said l scontainer wall for stacking, check means carried by each Wall adjacent each free wing of each strip, and said free wing being movable from a Viiat position in overlapped relation to the adja- Cent check means to a position engaging said adjacent check means for maintaining said strip in .an .erect article-supporting position.

3. Means for `packaging articles to preserve initial temperature conditions, comprising a container including bottom and side walls and a top closure, Spacer members carried by said side and bottom walls, said members each comprising a living V-shaped strip including wings :and converging legs providing an apex, said apex being inwardly directed relative to said container,l means mounting said wings on a container wall, said apices comprising knife-edge supports for supporting an article in spaced relation Ato ,saidl side and bottom walls and to said closure, said strips being formed of foldable material, means fixing one tvingof reach strip to a container wall, the other wing of each Vstrip being free, said strips being adapted to v,be flattened along Vsaid container Wall for stacking, check vmeans carried by each wall vadjacent each freewing of each strip, and said free wing .being movable from a ilat position in overlapped relation to the adjacent check means to an. erect'articlesupporting position, Ysaid check means each comprising a strip of foldable material, a portion of -each check 'means remote from the ladjacent free Wing being secured Ato a container wall. to provide a Vfree -iiap in juxtaposed relationl to the adjacent lfree wing, and said adjacent free wing being adapted to be inserted `beneath saidiiap tolock ,said Ifirst stripfin saiderect article-supporting position. y

4. A temperature retaining package .comprising a container including a ,bottom wall and side walls ,and a top closure, `at least one foldable strip -carried by each wall of said .containeneach stripincluding a side-edge. secured toa container Walland an opposite Ifree rsiole edge,1each.strip including a fold lineintermediate said side edges and Substantially .parallel thereto, each strip being foldable on said fold line from a natposi'- tion lying close to a container walllto an erected position .providing lan inwardly directed.` knifeedge to supportably engage an article placed in said container, and meansfor releasably locking saidvstripsfin said erected positions. i

s PAUL N. FENSKE.

' REEERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS l Date 

